Users of word processors and other document editors such as Microsoft Word commonly apply formatting to text within a document. Formatting provides a means for emphasizing text or differentiating one kind of text from another. Direct formatting is a conventional means for applying formats (e.g., bold face, italics, underlining) directly to text. Direct formatting involves a user selecting a portion of text within a document and then selecting a format to be applied to that text.
Another means for applying formatting to text is through the use of styles. A style is simply a set of formatting characteristics that can be applied to text and are grouped as a set. The style can be named, so that the set of formatting characteristics can be referred to with a single style name. For example, a “Header” style may include the following formatting characteristics: bold, font size 24, center justification, line spacing 2.0. Similarly, a style entitled “Body Text” may include formats such as not bold, not italics, point size=12, left and right justified, line spacing=1.0.
Unfortunately, for various reasons, many users find styles difficult to use. Moreover, even when users do utilize styles, it is typical that they will use styles inconsistently and will mix styles with direct formatting inconsistently. Because maintaining consistent formatting is essential in making documents look professional, there is a need in the art for a means for analyzing a document to determine the consistency of formatting whether by direct formatting or by the use of styles.